Activists call for ‘just’ climate change laws, carbon credit system
Furious climate protesters call on Thai government to stop greenwashing large corporations responsible for carbon emissions
More than 200 climate activists on Monday gathered in front of the United Nations Headquarters in Bangkok urging the Thai government to stop the climate change laws and carbon credit system that benefit large corporations.
According to participants, the activity titled “System Change Not Climate Crisis” calls for climate justice from the government before it attends the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP29, being held in Azerbaijan from November 11-22.
The activity included an open seminar on climate justice, problems of the carbon credit system, and how the current climate policy enables large corporations to reap profits from natural resources.
On Tuesday, activists submitted an open letter to the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), before marching to the head office of the Natural Resource and Environment Ministry to urge the government to stop greenwashing large corporations responsible for carbon emissions.
Activists from Greenpeace Thailand reportedly hung a 10 by 10 metre banner on the ministry’s building, reading “People Before Profit" in English, followed by a text in Thai translating “Stop greenwashing giant carbon-emitting companies”.
A Greenpeace Thailand representative said the open letter submitted to the UNFCCC contains a seven-point demand to the Thai government, which can be summarised as follows:
1. Draft a new constitution that abolishes the 20-year national strategic plan, national forest policy, national energy plan, and other policies that contribute to increasing “fake” green space.
2. Promote the compensation of loss and damage from climate change to countries affected by global boiling.
3. Stop all climate change laws that support carbon trading which help greenwash large corporations.
4. Abolish the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisaton.
5. Revise the vision, missions and roles of Natural Resource and Environment Ministry to focus on promoting community’s rights to protect their resources and environment.
6. Revoke all concession contracts granted to private companies in carbon and bio credit projects, as well as stop all propaganda regarding carbon and bio credit.
7. Set a deadline in carbon reduction for the fossil, food, meat and resource exploration industries, with severe criminal punishment if they fail to meet the deadline.
